Lany, Central Bohemia, Aug 15 (CTK) – Czech President Milos Zeman and Chief-of-Staff Josef Becvar spoke about participation of the military in the protection of the border from immigrants, saying some 1500 to maximally 2600 soldiers could be deployed.
“I would not definitely say agreement on any figure was reached at Lany chateau, but generally, all participants in the meeting agreed on that the Czech military should take part in the protection of the territory of the Czech Republic against illegal migration,” Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek told CTK.
Becvar said if the government decided to use the maximum number of 2600 soldiers, the military would have to fundamentally adjust its plan of training.
“We can reinforce the Czech police with some 1500 soldiers without any fundamental restrictions,” Becvar wrote in a press release that Jan Sulc, spokesman for the general staff, sent to CTK.
Becvar said he assured Zeman of that military experts are already taking part in working meetings with police for the military to be capable of flexibly reacting to the government’s decision to deploy soldiers.
The Czech military now has around 21,000 soldiers. It should admit 2000 more people by the year’s end.
In reaction to the increased number of refugees, the Czech Republic recently applied the first decree of measures. The military would be deployed if the third degree of protection of the border were invoked.
At their meeting in Lany on Tuesday, Zeman and the chairmen of the two houses of parliament, Milan Stech and Jan Hamacek (both Social Democrats), respectively, agreed on the need for the Czech Republic to be prepared for a more consistent protection of its border in case all-European measures fail.
Sulc said Zeman and Becvar also exchanged information on the current security situation and threats in the world.
Zeman also took interest in the security threats where Czech soldiers are deployed in foreign missions and on their future operation along with the coalition partners from NATO and the EU and under the U.N. flag.
Becvar also spoke with Zeman about the “need for a stable and rising budget” of the military.
“The President was interested in great detail in the numbers of Czech military reserves and in amending the defence legislation that is currently being discussed by the Chamber of Deputies,” Becvar said.
ms/dr
